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Synonym Chooser

How is the word avid distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of avid are anxious, athirst, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When might anxious be a better fit than avid?

Although the words anxious and avid have much in common, anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

Where would athirst be a reasonable alternative to avid?

The meanings of athirst and avid largely overlap; however, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

When could eager be used to replace avid?

While in some cases nearly identical to avid, eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

When is it sensible to use keen instead of avid?

The synonyms keen and avid are sometimes interchangeable, but keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avid An avid dancer and the founder of the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, the Emmy Award-winner has always prioritized community as an imperative component of our collective mental health. Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 11 Aug. 2025 As any casual or avid viewer of cable news will tell you, President Trump seems to understand that dynamic better than anyone. Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 8 Aug. 2025 The first was from an avid reader who 20 years ago asked the Department of Finance & Administration for a particular vanity plate -- BFDEAL -- and was rejected. Frank Fellone, Arkansas Online, 8 Aug. 2025 Another raw one was much rougher but still checked the box, one almost impossible to mark for even the avid Brown collector. The Athletic Collectibles Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avid
Adjective
  • It’s created a new market opportunity for brands eager to peddle protein-forward products to this growing demographic.
    Boutayna Chokrane, Wired News, 6 Aug. 2025
  • After the first four episodes of the show’s new installment were released on Wednesday, Aug. 6, fans were eager to see the singer, 39, in her guest starring role.
    Liza Esquibias, People.com, 6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Audiences were almost as enthusiastic awarding it 91% which explains why its views surged.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The new school year kicked off at R. Roger Rowe School on Aug. 11, an enthusiastic welcome back that included a fun photo station for student arrivals, big smiles and helping hands from teachers and greetings from the school mascot.
    Karen Billing, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Some people are adamant that the immediate family of a bride or parent-to-be should never host the shower, suggesting that such a move seems self-serving or like a greedy call for gifts.
    Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
  • These accusations were often contradictory — Jews were cast as both the masterminds of capitalism and the architects of communism — but always with the same underlying theme: Jews as manipulators, greedy and untrustworthy, enriching themselves at others’ expense.
    Avi Weiss, New York Daily News, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • A lot of fans and people in tennis are excited about (João) Fonseca.
    Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2025
  • The more companies move in this direction, the more consumers will be singing the praises of AI -- and feeling not only satisfied, but excited about returning to the brand in the future.
    Tomas Gorny, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In June 2023, Lukashenko presented himself as a peacemaker for helping to end an armed rebellion against Russian military generals led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the mercenary group Wagner.
    Amalia Huot-Marchand, The Hill, 8 Aug. 2025
  • When confronting the failures of corporate medicine, reversing the disastrous course of the mercenary business model built on the suffering of Americans requires a revolutionary approach.
    David Marks, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Toyota’s public image took a beating, alienating some of its most ardent supporters.
    Mark Phelan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Now, Trump’s most ardent supporters—from Wall Street to the studios of Fox News—fill the seats next to him.
    Kyle Khan-Mullins, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Manipulating these obviously very greedy and avaricious [people] is still kind of beneath his skills.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 14 Aug. 2025
  • The comedy-drama follows a Gen Z content creator who returns to her ancestral home seeking viral material, only to encounter her deceased brother’s ghost while dealing with avaricious relatives.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Unmatched Sports & Recreation Facilities Active travelers keen to work up a sweat, take note: likely no other resort on the planet rivals Forte Village in terms of both sports and recreational programming and facilities.
    Alexandra Kirkman, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Matt Woosnam Everton remain active in the market, and keen to strengthen on the wings in particular — so the caveat with this line-up is that things could easily change again by the end of the window.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Avid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avid. Accessed 23 Aug. 2025.

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